Personal Branding is Powerful Strategy in Social Media

The last class of the semester will not be the end of studies for many SFSU marketing students.

What a wild ride –

Jumping off the PR 1.0 trail and on to PR 2.0!

And I’m happy to report that many of my 90+ students will be continuing our trek down Revolutionary Road. Below is a sampling of their semester wrap-ups:

Consumers create the buzz:

“I learned that people are changing the way information is given and received. Today Social Media is influencing all of us in ways never thought possible 5, 10, 20 years ago. Websites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are evolving into powerful tools. And companies are seeing this as consumers are now the ones creating buzz about products and places.

Today we all have the opportunity to use the Web to tell stories, to educate, to entertain, and, most importantly, to engage in conversation. We are only beginning to explore the many ways to communicate.” — Alice Ng

Social Media is our future:

“It is not only a way for people to connect and maintain relationships, but the Future for marketing and business, as well. Most of the population has hit their limit with mass advertising. People have figured out that everything is a selling gimmick and they have become immune. Marketing has become Word of Mouth — and what better way to facilitate the discussions than through social media.

If I am interested in a new TV, I want to hear real-life reviews and opinions — and with just a few clicks I can find them with Twitter. Or, if I want to know more about a person or organization, I simply go to LinkedIn or Facebook. As more people are realizing that everything is available online, more companies and people are adding valuable content to be discovered.” — Natalie Leadbetter

What’s just a fad?

“The number of social media websites id mind-boggling. The question is which ones are here to stay, and which ones will be merely fads. It’s frustrating that more and more aspects of life are moving to the Web. Personally, I find that staring at a computer screen for longer than a couple of hours at a time can induce headaches. Also, social media is killing privacy, and I have always considered myself a private person. I haven’t felt comfortable putting myself on the Internet for anyone to Google.

One of our speakers told us, ‘If I Google your name and nothing comes up, then you can forget about a job1’ I still have a hard time getting myself to put my name out there and start the multiple social networking profiles that are required for this class — and what now seems, required for life in general. Is there another niche out there for me to avoid this whole Web 2.0 thing? I DOUBT IT. I guess it’s time for me to bite the bullet and join the massive conformity that we call Social Media.” — Emilio Siqueiros

Personal Branding 101:

“I’m personally appreciative to have been immersed in the New Rules of PR. Communication has been revolutionalized and one of the most important lessons for me has been about Personal Branding. From everything I post online to my contributions to others’ web conversations, being Proactive is the Key. I now understand the importance of contributing to other people’s blogs as well as creating and maintaining online profiles — to connect with others and to contribute to the Worldview of Knowledge.” –Alvin Lee

Be careful online:

“When I first began this PR class, I hadn’t known what to expect. All I’d ever heard about PR were statements about making a company Look Good. But now my understanding has changed to the view that PR is more of a process of having a company do the kinds of things that will make it look good and earn that good reputation. And I can see how the internet — and everything we post online — can affect our reputation for the bad as well as for the good. Before this class, I’d tried Twitter when it wasn’t all the rage. I thought it was interesting, but it would fade away.

Now, though, I’m surprised that I’m Tweeting on my final — social media has grown so powerful that wherever I look, someone is bombarding me with some sort of advertising cleverly disguised as Tweets. Every action we take, we have to know that a potential client or contact is watching, and what we write online can make or break us in the Business World.” — Victor Atilano

Share your experiences with us. How has your life changed? Most of us believe that ours has improved? How about you?

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So far I’ve learned that social media is always evolving. There are so many social networking sites like Friendster or Facebook. You may feel overwhelmed; however, the key is to use what works best for you, what will give you exposure to prospective employers, and where your friends are.

I use LinkedIn for my business profile to add meaningful and relevant business connections as well as attracting employers or even my own connections to get referrals for prospective jobs. I use Facebook to primarily keep in touch with people from middle school and high school to see what they are doing with their lives right now.

I use Twitter to share how I feel and to get updates on news by following the right people. In turn, I have also developed a following because my updates are relevant to other people.

I love blogging as I just publicly started. It allows me to express my emotions or my own self-concepts or pretty much anything as long as it is appropriate to the audience I’m trying to reach. I also have to keep in mind that what I write will be on the internet forever.

As my primary objective is to get a job in customer service or marketing, I realize that prospective employers will check out my profiles on social networking sites as well as what I am blogging. Anyone can get exposure through social media; it’s all about “sticking out” and “thinking outside the box” as well as consistency. I’ve just gotten started on this new journey and I’m hoping to meet more great people along the way!

Shari – glad to see that the next generation is plugged into the way people communicate. Good for you to show the way. I hear from students at many colleges and universities that their professors are clueless about social media.

David, I have to admit that I was one of the “clueless” professors as recently as three months ago . . . but, now, a Whole New World has opened to me and your book New Rules for Marketing and PR was a real eye-opener. In fact, I will be using it in my PR classes beginning this summer. THX for helping show the way. PS I also saw your visit to HubSpotTV, which I have also introduced to my students.

May 21, 20092:46 am

#4 anjali :

Modern computers are electronic and digital. The actual machinery — wires, transistors, and circuits — is called hardware; the instructions and data are called software.

Feb 5, 201012:01 am

#5 baystratagem :

Interesting comments. I initially thought the comments would have been about personal branding strategy or put more simply — about enhancing one’s own marketability. While I did read some comments regarding this, I was surprised at the level of concern and perceived paranoia that was expressed.

As a matter of fact I am now concerned about getting a Linked in account. Prior to today I knew I was dragging my feet in signing up for this oh-so-coveted account. It’s been two plus years and I thought I was doing fine without such an account, but now it seems (through my own newly generated unfounded and perceived paranoia) that if I do not have an account a prospective employer may assume that I am not technologically competent just because I do not have a Linkedin account or that I would not be a good fit within their organization.

The possible reasons for not landing a career-advancing position are many — some of which are sparkling personality, outgoing and assertiveness, and positive attitude. All of these are excellent personal qualities, and I haven’t even mentioned professional skills and education, but the trend in the above comments in my opinion seems to point to a postulate that an individual will be judged as to whether or not he/she is employment-worthy based simply on having or not having an online presence.

It’s a Catch 22 situation, and the only way to win is to jump in and swim.

I really did not want to subscribe to Twitter until I was ready…I’m an aspiring fashion designer and I had planned to use the service to introduce new product, but Shari has made having an account a requisite for successful course completion. So now I will have to not only integrate my fashion aspirations into my educational goals and my current job schedule, but I will have to do it in a way that looks smooth and easy, in a word “professional” on the outside (you know, don’t bring you personal issues to work-especially if they are work hampering issues) and convince prospective employers that my personal interests are not only good for my self-esteem but good for the organization.

Having me as employee and realizing I have outside interests and goals that I continually endeavor to bring to fruition assures them that I will not be just a warm body. That I am unique and that if personal branding techniques are what Social Media and PR claim them to be then perhaps there may be revenue avenues that I may be able to help generate in concert with current existing staff.

Those income streams will have to be explored in the way of pilot program and feeler studies, but isn’t that what business is all about or is a job/career all about just getting in there and doing my 8 to 5 and then at 5:00 run over my co-workers getting out the door at the end of the day?

While it is true that I have multiple irons in the fire at this point, the saying is also true that “nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

Yes, LinkedIn has become “the order of the day” because, yes, employers are checking people out online before spending time and effort bringing them in for an interview. Just like the Internet makes it easy to investigate companies BEFORE an interview, the Web has become a place where people can “make” or “break” themselves by posting either thoughtful, relevant content or inappropriate words and pictures. What is inappropriate? Think about it. Do NOT put anything on the Internet unless you wouldn’t mind if Everyone in the World could see it.